By Matthew A. Peretz
Senior Editor
allNetDevices.com
Update 2-21-01: BSQUARE Corporation will be teaming up with Microsoft to provide systems integration services for Microsoft’s “Stinger” smart phone. The Bellevue-based company will be offering Stinger phone manufacturers a complete line of engineering services, including project planning, systems integration, custom software development, testing services, and custom training.
2-20-01: At the 3G(SM) World Congress in Cannes, France, Microsoft Corporation today will preview its smart phone platform, code-named “Stinger.” The Stinger smart phone platform is based on the Microsoft Windows CE 3.0 operating system specifically optimized for mobile phones to extend battery life and reduce memory requirements.
According to Microsoft, the Stinger platform is designed to take advantage of the features that will become available on 2.5G and 3G broadband wireless networks. The Stinger platform, according to Microsoft, will be the basis for color phones with mobile Internet and personal information management (PIM) functionality.
Microsoft stated that its Stinger platform will result in phones that weigh less than 110 grams, and are 30 percent smaller than today’s average phones. The devices will also, according to the company, have up to 100 hours of standby time with the screen on and PIM active, and four hours of talk time. Color or gray-scale displays will available with resolutions of up to 208 x 240 pixels. The platform supports ARM processors starting at 60 Mhz and various expansion options including Secure Digital, solid state floppy disc cards and memory sticks.
The user interface on the Stinger platform devices will be intuitive, according to Microsoft and applications that will be included will be Microsoft’s Outlook companion, Mobile Internet Explorer and email client. One feature of the messaging applications will be a unified inbox, which lets users manage their Short Message Service (SMS), voice mail and multiple email accounts in one location.
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. And Sendo Ltd., will demonstrate prototype devices running beta Stinger software today at the 3G (SM) Congress. Trium announced plans to build a “Stinger”-based smart phone.
In a related announcement, Microsoft announced delivery of its Mobile Exlorer 3.0 technology for evaluation and/ or development to handset manufacturers including Benefon, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., and Sony-Digital Telecommunications Europe. This platform, according to Microsoft, runs on virtually any phone operating system or wireless network, providing users with secure email and access to Internet content written in HTML, cHTML and WML. The platform supports security protocols including WTLS protocol 3, and SSL 3.0. Mobile Explorer 3.0 supports WAP and SMS push in order to keep user content updated.
Samsung Electronic will be demonstrating its SGH-N350, which uses Mobile Exlporer 3.0, this week at the 3GSM World Congress. The phone features a 128 x 128 pixel four gray scale display. It has an Internet direct access key, voice functions, PIM functionality and PC synchronization.
allnetdevices.com is a property of internet.com
